Glacier
Glacier in Alaska, USA.
A highlight of any Alaska journey is being able to see glaciers in action. The ice age is still underway here with an estimated 100,000 glaciers in the state, covering three percent of the landscape and creating most of its rivers. Glaciers are rivers of ice that flow from ice packs high in the mountains, where more snow falls than melts. In constant motion, they can move ahead at speeds of several feet a day, or sudden surges of as much as 300 feet. Some are retreating, or shrinking due to increased melting or a lack of new snow to feed them. The beautiful blue colour associated with glaciers is created by the density of the ice which absorbs all the colours of the spectrum except blue, which is reflected.
Tidewater glaciers flow to the sea and are found at the head of fjords or inlets which they carved while retreating. These are the glaciers you can see while on an Alaska cruise when your ship takes you up close to these wonders of nature.
Calving occurs when pieces of a tidewater glacier break off and fall into the sea. The creaking sounds associated with calving glaciers and the roar as pieces fall into the sea are as impressive as the visual scene itself.
No post-processing done to photo. Nikon NEF (RAW) files available. NPP Straight Photography at noPhotoShopping.com
Glacier
Glacier in Alaska, USA.
A highlight of any Alaska journey is being able to see glaciers in action. The ice age is still underway here with an estimated 100,000 glaciers in the state, covering three percent of the landscape and creating most of its rivers. Glaciers are rivers of ice that flow from ice packs high in the mountains, where more snow falls than melts. In constant motion, they can move ahead at speeds of several feet a day, or sudden surges of as much as 300 feet. Some are retreating, or shrinking due to increased melting or a lack of new snow to feed them. The beautiful blue colour associated with glaciers is created by the density of the ice which absorbs all the colours of the spectrum except blue, which is reflected.
Tidewater glaciers flow to the sea and are found at the head of fjords or inlets which they carved while retreating. These are the glaciers you can see while on an Alaska cruise when your ship takes you up close to these wonders of nature.
Calving occurs when pieces of a tidewater glacier break off and fall into the sea. The creaking sounds associated with calving glaciers and the roar as pieces fall into the sea are as impressive as the visual scene itself.
No post-processing done to photo. Nikon NEF (RAW) files available. NPP Straight Photography at noPhotoShopping.com